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At Netherhall School in Maryport celebrations were in the air as the long weeks of waiting came to an end.

Scott Peel, 17, of School Close, gained 100 per cent in two of his maths units and high 90s in others. He gained four A*s in physics, maths, further maths and religious education and a B in history.

He told the News & Star: “I’m very pleased. I’m now going to go to university. I want to do maths.”

Emily Bailey, 17, of Victoria Terrace, was also over the moon with her two As, a B and a C.

She said: “I have now got what I need to study art at university.”

Emily Ford, 18, of Grasslot, is heading to Northampton University to follow her dream of studying illustration after walking away from school with an A*, A and B.

Joining her in Northampton will be Laura Jackson, 18, of Dearham, who plans to study history after achieving an A in health and science, a B in English language and a in history.”

Headteacher Jonathan Johnson said he was thrilled with the school’s performance.

He added: “We haven’t analysed the percentages yet but it seems we have bucked the national downward trend and that our results and that our results are at least on a par with last year.

“That shows this community that Netherhall has a strong sixth form and I’m delighted at the hard work of the pupils and staff.”

Meanwhile at Whitehaven Academy students and staff were also celebrating their results.

Acting principal Jacki Smith said: “It has been brilliant to see a lot of very happy students whose results today reflect the high level of effort they’ve put into their studies and the support they have received from their teachers.

“There have been some outstanding individual performances and we are delighted that this year the academy has seen its best ever performance by a single student, Tristan Doyle, who achieved four A* grades and one A.”

Tristan, of Kells, will be going to the University College London to study Natural Sciences.

Holly Watson, 18, of Moresby, said she was “absolutely ecstatic” to receive an A in food technology, a B in health and social Care and C in biology. She will be going to De Montfort, Leicester, for children’s nursing.

Geoff Walker, headteacher of Cockermouth School, has calculated 74 per cent of all grades collected by his students today were A*-C.

Mr Walker added that there were individual successes with many students receiving three or four A* grades and ‘significant numbers’ of others getting three As.

“The vast majority of students have been awarded places at their preferred universities, including Oxford, or employment offers, and I would like to congratulate all who have worked together to achieve these successes, both students and staff,” he added.

Workington Sixth Form announced a “highly encouraging” uplift in results. More than 47 per cent of grades are A*, A or B – six per cent higher than last year.

Lorrayne Hughes, executive head, said: “These students have worked extremely hard. Congratulations and best wishes to them all.”

It is a record-breaking year for one of Cumbria’s leading schools on A-level results day.

St Benedict’s School in Whitehaven is another celebrating "excellent" results for its sixth formers, 82 per cent of whom have been offered university places.

Twins Thomas and Howard Page between them gained 5 As and 1 A* and are going to read mathematics at Warwick and Manchester universities. Three As student Ben Peacock is to read Law at Oxford University.

Head of Sixth Form Sheena Kar said: "I am delighted that the hard work and dedication of our students has been rewarded. It is a testament to the diligence of our students and staff that we are celebrating excellent results."

And executive head Ian Smith added: “I am delighted that a very high percentage of students have gained three or more A levels, which has enabled them to get into their university of choice. I am also encouraged by the increased number of A*-C grades, and am particularly encouraged and delighted that the rapidly improving provision in the sixth form is enabling students to achieve grades and points scores, which are at least in line with the most recently available national data."

Six students from William Howard School in Brampton have clinched places at Oxford and Cambridge universities - the highest number it has seen - with impressive A* and A grades.

Five of them were in school at 7am today to find out if they had made the grade.

Head boy Joshua McStay was joined by Stuart Astle, Jocelyn Bell, David Little and David Ifere.

Joshua, 18, of Lowry Hill, Carlisle, got two A*s in English literature and history and an A in geography. He is going to Somerville College, Oxford, to read history.

He said: “Three of the six of us have been on an outreach scheme called Uniq that Oxford does; it’s for pupils from state schools. One of our teachers, Gaynor Wragg, has been a great help. For the last two years she has run a debating group and Oxbridge group for us in preparation.”

Mark Bedford, head of sixth form, said: “There are our best ever results.

“There are 11 per cent of our students who have got into the country’s top universities, last year the figure was four per cent. All of our results are up and we have success across the board. Most of our students have got their first choice of university and we are very pleased and very proud of everyone.”

Chris McAree, headteacher of Caldew School, Dalston, said: “We’ve got about 50 students getting their results and the vast majority will be going off to university.

“We’ve got a number of them who have got AAB in the facilitating subjects, the key subjects that the Russell Group of top universities seek.”

Teenagers in the sixth form at the Richard Rose Academies are celebrating their best ever results at A-level, taking into account equivalent qualifications too.

Derek Davies, executive principal for the academies, said: “Our sixth formers are today celebrating achieving the best A-level and equivalent results the two schools have ever received with increases at both A*-C and A*/A.

“We would like to congratulate all our students and thank staff for all their hard work.”

Nearby Newman School has only a small number of year 13 students getting results.

Headteacher John McAuley said: “Our students should be proud of their achievements and we wish them well for the future. There is a lot of pressure on young people to perform well in exams and I am impressed by their determination to achieve success.”

Matt Harris, head of Austin Friars St Monica’s School, said: “We are delighted that over 30 per cent of all the grades obtained were A* or A in a year which sees significant changes to the A-level assessment regime.

“Our Religious Studies and art students performed particularly well with two thirds and half of the students achieving A* grades respectively.”

Nigel Pattinson, head of Ullswater Community College in Penrith, said: “Half of the entries got A*, A or B, the proportion getting A or B grades is quite significant for us this year.

“We’re also seeing 99 per cent of our students leaving with at least one A-level or equivalent, 98 per cent achieving two or more.”

Many schools welcomed year 13 students before breakfast today to coincide with the opening of clearing helplines at universities across the country.

Clearing is the process for those who fail to get the grades needed to get on their chosen course or who have changed their minds on what they want to do.

A team of 25 staff and undergraduates were ready to take the first calls at the University of Cumbria’s clearing centre at 7am today.

The hotline – 0808 178 7373 – expects to take hundreds of calls before the shift ends at 7pm. The centre will be manned each day until at least August 22.

Cumbria County Council says the initially reported outcomes from 19 of the county’s 26 local authority maintained schools and academies indicate "a good increase" in the number of students achieving higher grades this year with 29 per cent of students attaining three or more A and B grades.

The proportion of students gaining at least one A-Level or equivalent Level 3 qualifications pass grade at A*-E appears to be broadly in line with last year with 99 per cent of students achieving the standard.

See Learning with next week's The Cumberland News for a full list of individual student achievements

Have your say

Well done Shona Macleod head girl at Whitehaven Academy who got A B B and is off to study a joint honours in International Relations with Asia Pacific Studies. Every pupil has worked hard and it has paid off. Well done all.